Safety device for firearms



June 3, 1958 s, PULA ETAL 2,836,918

SAFETY DEVICE FOR FIREARMS Y Filed Aug. 24, 1955 Fig 4 w? 2 i.i\\\\\\\\\\HNHHHN!Nllllllllllllll! @J Hllll mu Stephen Pu/a George Laparfa IN VEN TOR-S SAFETY DEVICE FOR FIREARMS Stephen Pula, Adamsdale, Mass., and George Loparto, Cumberland, R. I., assignors of one-third to Joseph Marszalkowski, Cumberland, R. I.

Application August 24, 1955, Serial No. 530,264

1 Claim. (Cl. 42-1) The present invention relates to firearms, particularly rifles and shotguns, and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, novel means for plugging the barrels of such guns for positively preventing loading thereof.

Another very important object of the invention is to provide a safety device of the character described which may be expeditiously locked in position in the breech or firing chamber of the gun and unlocked from either end of the barrel.

a Still another important object of the invention is to provide a safety device of the aforementioned character Q numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a view in longitudinal section through the inner end portion of a gun barrel, showing a safety device constructed in accordance with the present invention inserted therein;

Figure 2 is a View in side elevation of the expansible sleeve;

Figure 3 is a front end elevation of the sleeve;

Figure 4 is a detail view in side elevation of the plug;

Figure 5 is a view in longitudinal section through the assembled device;

Figure 6 is a. view in side elevation of the locking and unlocking tool;

Figure 7 is a view partially in elevation and partially in section of a modification; and

Figure 8 is an elevational view of the modification, looking at the rear end thereof.

Refen'ing now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that reference character "10 designates a sleeve of suitable resilient metal The sleeve 10 is of a diameter to be slipped into the breechyof a conventional gun barrel 11. The sleeve 10 comprises, on its rear end, a circumferential stop shoulder or 12. The sleeve 10 further includes an externally reduced intermediate portion 13.

As illustrated to advantage in Figure 5 of the drawings, the rear end portion of the sleeve 10 is internally threaded, as indicated at 14. Then, the bore of the sleeve 10 terminates in a substantially conical forward end portion 15. Extending longitudinally into the sleeve 10 from the forward end thereof is a plurality of keyhole slots 16 proi United States Pater O 2,836,918 Patented June 3, 1958 substantially conical head 19 which is engageable in the correspondingly shaped end portion 15 of the sleeve 10 for expanding the segments 17. The plug 18 is provided, in its ends, with suitable kerfs, sockets or the like 20 and 21 for the reception of the correspondingly shaped bit, jaw or the like 22 of a locking and unlocking tool 23. The tool 23 is substantially T-shaped, said tool including an operating handle 24.

It is thought that the use of the device will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. Briefly, with the plug 18 in retracted or inoperative position in the sleeve 10, the device is inserted in the breech of the gun barrel 11. Through the medium of the tool 23, inserted from either end of the barrel, the plug 18 is tightened or screwed into the sleeve 10 for expanding the segments 17. The expanded segments 17, engaged with the Walls of the barrel 11, frictionally lock the device in position in said barrel in an obvious manner. Of course, to remove the device, the plug 18 is unscrewed to permit the segments 17 to contract. The plug 18 is of a length less than that of the sleeve 10 to accommodate the usual firing pin of the gun in the rear end portion of said sleeve. The bit 22 of the tool 23 must properly fit the kerfs 20 and 21 of the plug 18 to operatively connect said tool to said plug. In the modification of Figures 7 and 8 of the drawing, the sleeve 10 comprises an untbreaded, counterbored rear end portion 25 providing a shoulder 26 and having a circumferential groove 27 therein. The counterbore 25 is for the reception of a guard 28 for the plug 18, said guard being in the form of a metallic disk which abuts the shoulder 26 and which has formed therein a slot or opening 29 foralignment with the kerf 20. Mounted in the groove 27 is a snap ring 30 which secures the guard 28 in position. The guard 28 prevents the insertion of a conventional screwdriver or similar tool in the kerf or the like 20 in the rear end of the plug 18. In other respects, this form of the invention is substantially similar in construction and operation to the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 6, inclusive, of the drawing.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A firearm safety device comprising: an internally threaded, expansible sleeve insertable in the breech of a gun barrel and including a smooth, counterbored end portion providing a shoulder and having a circumferential groove therein, a plug threadedly mounted in the sleeve for expanding same and having a kerf in an end thereof for the reception of an actuating tool, a snap ring mounted in the groove, and a guard for the plug comprising a disk freely rotatable in the counterbore between the shoulder and the snap ring and spaced from the plug, said disk having a slot therein to be brought into parallelism with the kerf for the insertion of the tool therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,043,993 Erling June 16, 1936 2,327,334 Parker Aug. 17, 1943 2,478,098 Hansen Aug. 2, 1949 2,530,560 Young Nov. 21, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 677,976 Great Britain Aug. 27, 1952 

